1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination apparatus, and particularly to a portable illumination apparatus which may be installed in the receiver of a common vehicle receiver hitch apparatus
2. Introduction
Portable illumination apparatuses are described in the art and are useful, in particular, for illuminating outside areas. This is especially so where the holder unit for the illumination unit is of a length that the illumination unit may be is deployed at a sufficient elevation for optimal illumination of a large area. Such illumination apparatuses are often used when a large area, remote from a fixed facility must be illuminated. For example, such devices are useful for lighting road construction areas and areas where the roadside repair of a vehicle must be accomplished after dark.
Typical prior art illumination apparatuses are affixed to an electrical generator and the entire apparatus is coupled to a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, as a trailer. This permits the device to be transported to the deployment location. An exemplary illumination apparatus of this type is described in PCT Application Number PCT/AU03/00599 and published as WO2003/098097 A1. The '599 application discloses an illumination device connected with an energy generation unit and the resulting apparatus is disposed as a trailer, which can be coupled to the tow hitch of a vehicle.
Devices like the one disclosed in the '599 application, which must be deployed with the affixed energy generation unit, disadvantageously require that the trailer be towed by a vehicle to the deployment location. This not only increases vehicle fuel consumption, but may also impair traffic safety, since a trailer with such an energy generation unit has relatively high weight and thus may impair the handling of the vehicle.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an illumination apparatus, which may be deployed at sufficient height that it is capable of adequate illumination of a relatively large area but which may be conveniently transported to the deployment location without the necessity of towing a trailer, and which may be conveniently deployed upon arrival. It is also an object of the invention to provide an illumination apparatus which may be conveniently installed in the receiver of a vehicle receiver hitch apparatus. It is also an object of the invention to provide for an illumination apparatus which may be conveniently installed in receivers of various standard sizes. Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide for an illumination apparatus which may be conveniently and safely transported to a deployment location and when there, be easily deployed.